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Thursday, June 7, 2012

Game Review - Madagascar 3: The Video Game

About the Game
D3Publisher (D3P), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, today announced a worldwide publishing agreement with DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA). D3Publisher has secured the licensed rights to develop and publish the video games based on the upcoming DreamWorks Animation feature films Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted and Rise of the Guardians in 2012 and The Croods in 2013.

“The upcoming video games based on the DreamWorks Animation films truly fit our commitment to making fun games that are enjoyable and accessible for the whole family across many platforms and handhelds,” said Bill Anker, vice president of business development and licensing, D3P. “We look forward to working closely with the DreamWorks Animation team to deliver an authentic and compelling gameplay experience that will take the adventures in exciting new directions inspired by the films.”

“D3Publisher has a wealth of experience in both the creative development and marketing of family friendly licensed games," said Chris Hewish, head of global interactive for DreamWorks Animation. "This, along with their proven track record, makes them an ideal interactive partner for our next three films.”

Madagascar 3: The Video Game will be available in June to coincide with theatrical release of the film on June 8, 2012 in North America. In an adventure-filled tour across Europe with a traveling circus; players can take on the role of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo in a journey to escape the evil clutches of crazed animal control officer Captain Chantal Dubois and return home to New York City. The blockbuster Madagascar films have captivated moviegoers across the globe and have collectively grossed over $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Coming this holiday season 2012, DreamWorks Animation’s Rise of the Guardians is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. In the video game, players will team up as the Guardians and battle Pitch to help restore the world’s belief.

The Croods takes us back to the beginning - to a previously undiscovered era known as the Croodacious - a time when Mother Nature was still experimenting and the flora and fauna we know today had yet to evolve. At the heart of this comically chaotic world is the Crood family, led by Grug, an over-protective father who, like all dads, is doing everything he can to hold his family together as the world around them changes at a dramatic pace. The Croods is scheduled for release in the spring of 2013.

Players will take a wild journey above and beyond the wacky storyline of the movie in a new side-scrolling/platform adventure. Experience the excitement of the circus as you complete challenging and sometimes suspiciously zany missions given to you by the Penguins, explore the streets of Europe as you collect ticket stubs to unlock amazing circus abilities, and dazzle the crowd with extraordinary acts fit only for a Madagascar-style circus extravaganza! All the Madagascar friends are along for the ride in this comedic circus adventure including King Julien, Maurice and Mort, the Penguins, plus their new circus pals Stefano the sea lion, Vitaly the Siberian tiger, Sonya the bear, and Gia the jaguar.

Game Features

Play as your favorite Madagascar Characters - Play in the role of your favorite Madagascar characters including Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe in a wild circus adventure across some of the most iconic European locations from the movie and beyond.

Bring the exciting Madagascar circus to Life - Perform show-stopping circus acts and experience the thrill of the show through fun circus mini-games and dazzle the crowd with an amazing ensemble of daring acrobatics and extraordinary stunts!

Experience a wild new adventure - Jump, swim, and soar across multiple challenges that puts your favorite Madagascar friends exploring some of Europe's most famous locations. Perform wild circus stunts, put up posters, and create hype for your circus performance, all while avoiding those pesky animal control officers and take your favorite crew back home to The Big Apple.

My Take on the Games
I had the opportunity to try out both the WII and Nintendo DS versions of this game and I have to say that both were very enjoyable. While the movie is not even out yet, the games gave me an idea of what I would find in the movie itself and for that I was appreciative. I enjoyed the first few Madagascar movies and this one looks like (at least from the trailers and the games) to have a similar humor style as well as the same fun-loving characters that you have met in the past (I love the penguins)!

In regards to the games though, I have to say that first the graphics were amazing as the images just leaped off the screen. On top of this, the interplay between the graphics and the game play worked and I had no problems overall with the way in which the game played. I did have a little bit of quirky action when using the cannon to shoot Marty, but once I got the hang of it I think it was user error on my part!

I also have to say that being able to play as your favorite character or to simply switch characters was great and when I let my eldest daughter play this she too enjoyed this feature as she could not choose which character that she wanted to be!

All-in-all the circus action was enjoyable and both games drew us in and held out attention and had us playing for quite some time, so I guess I can say that we were thoroughly entertained! I highly encourage either or both of these games to all!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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